New London — Public defenders will be outside the New London Judicial District courthouse Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to take applications from people with pending court cases who can't afford a lawyer.

The community outreach project is a statewide effort of the Office of the Chief Public Defender to help restart the cases of people who cannot afford a lawyer. Courts have been conducting limited business throughout the coronavirus pandemic but are gradually adding cases.

Attorney Douglas A. Ovian, supervisory assistant public defender, will be at the courthouse with a team of new public defenders and recent law school graduates. He said the team would be taking applications at the tables near the back entrance of the courthouse with masks and social distancing precautions in place.

Applicants do not need to have a court date Wednesday in order to apply.

For information on all statewide public defender application events, go to bit.ly/coviddefenders.